Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-12-15

Our schenae OF taxation by means Of which
this needlesssur I is taken from the people
LOT tariff or duty levied upon importa-
| tions from abroad, and internal revenue taxes
| spirituous and malt liquors. 1t must be conced-
| ed that none of the things subjected to internal
revenue taxation are, strictly speaking, neces-
l. saries: there appears to be no Just complaint
| OF this taxation by the consumers of these ar
ticles, and there seems to be nothing SO well
ape 70 pear aee nurasn w1tnouI aarosnlp 70
tariff laws, the vicious, inequitable and illogical
source of unnecessary taxations Nougat to ee at
| once revised and amended. These laws, as their
primary and plain effect, raise the price to con-
sumers of all articles imported and subject to
duty. by precisely the sum pad for
duty measures the tax paid by those who
| purchase for use these imported articles.
manufactu. ed in our own country, and the
| duties now levied upon foreign goods and pro-
ducts. are called. protection TO these home
Ifor..those Of our people who are manufacture rs
to make these taxed articles and sell them for
ported goods that have paid customs duty. So
1T happens that, while comparatively Il few use
the imported articles, millions OF our people.
who never use, and never saw any of
| the foreign products, purchase and use
things of the same kind made in
this country and pay therefor nearly, or
adds to the imported articles. Those who buy
imports pay the duty charged thereon into the
y,
citizens who buy domestic articles of the same
class pay sum at least approximately equal
to this duty to the home manufacturer. This
reference to the operation of our tariff laws is
not made by way of instruction, but in order
that we may be constantly reminded of the
manner in which they impose burden upon
those who consume domestic products as Well
as those who consume imported articles, and
thus create a tax upon all our people
1t is not proposed to entirely relieve the coun-
try OF this taxation 1t must be extensively
continued as the source of the Cover nulent's IN
come; ana IN q readIustraent Of our tariff the
interests OF American labor engaged in manu-.
facture should be carefully considered as well
as the preservation of our manufacturers. It
may be called protection, or by any other nane,
but relief from the hardships and dangers of
our present tariff laws should be devised with
especial precaution against inperiling the. ex-
1stence OF our nanufa turing interests. But
this existence should not mean q condition
which, without regard to the public welfare
%avs insra tha must a
profits instead of moderately profitable
turns As the volume and diversity of our Ma
tional activities increase, new recruits are
added to those vino desire a continuation of the
advantages which they conceive the present
system of tariff taxation directly affords them.
So stubhornly huve all efforts to reform the
present condition been resisted by those of our
fellow-citizens thus engaged, that they can
hardly complain OF the suspicion, entertained to
u certain extent, that there existed an organ
lied combination all along the line to maintain
their advantage.
We are in the midst of centennial ce1ebra-
tions, and with becoming pride were rejoice in
American skill and ingenuity American energy
and enterprise, and in the wonderful natural
advantages and resources developed by
a century's National growth. Yet when an at
tempt is made to justify a scheme which per-
mits tax to be laid upon every consumer in
the land for the benefit of our manufactures
quite beyond q reasonable demand for Govern
mental regard, it suits the purposes of advocacy
to call our manufactures infant industries, still
needing the highest and greatest degree of
favor and fostering care that can be wrung from
Federal legislation.
1t is also said that the increase in the
price of domestic manufactures resulting
from the present tarifais necessary in order
that higher wages may be paid to our
workingmen employed in manufactures. than
are paid for what is. called the pauper labor of
Europe All will acknowledge the force Of the
argument that government which involves
the welfare and liberal compensation of our
labor is honorable in the eyes OF every Ameri-
can citizen; and as it lies at the foundation of
our development and progress, it is entitled,
without affectation hypocrisy, to the ut
most regard. The standard of our laborers
life should not be measured by that OF any
other country less favored, and they en-
titled to their full share of all cur advantage.
By the last census it is made to appear that
of the II, 592 n99 of our population engaged in
all kinds of industries, 7,67u,495 are employed in
sonal service, (2,934.S76 Of whom are domestic
servants and laborers) while 1910, $50 are en-
ployed In trade and transportation and !, s37 112
are classed as employed in manufacturing and
mining. a
For preset purposes. however, the last num-
Der given should be considerably reduced.
Without attempting to enumerate all, it will be
conceded that there should be deducted from
those which it includes $751; 43 carpenters and
stresses, 172, 728 blacksmiths 1888 1856 tailors and
talores ses, 102 AS masons, 6,24I butchers, A.
aG9 bakers, 22,0s3 piasterers, and 1891 engaged
in manufac turing agricultural implements,
amounting in the aggregate to 1,214,t23, leav-
ing 1923 $50 persons employed in such manu-
fafsgr M as are claimed to be beng
made to save their employmentand maintain
their wages by resisting a change. There
should DE no disposition to answer such sugges-
tions by the allegation that they are in a mi
nority among those who labor, and therefore
should forego an advantage, in. the interest Of
low prices for the majority: their
fected by the operation of tarifr
laws should at all times be scrupulously kept
not overlook the fact that they are consumers
with the rest; that they too, have their own
wants and those of ther families to supply
from their earnings, ana that the prices OF the
necessaries of life, We'll thu 1unt of
welfare and comfort But the reduction OF taxa
ton demanded should be measured not to
necessitate or justify the loss of employment
by the worllingman nor the lessening
remaining to the manufacturer, after
a necessary readiustment, should
furnish no excuse for the sacrifice of the inter-
ests of his employees either in their opportunity
to work in the diminution of their co1npensa-
to understand that whiie a high tariff is claimed
to be necessary to allow the payment of re-
nuneratlve wages, it certainly results in a very
large increase in the price of nearly all sorts OF
manufactures, which in almost countless
forms, he needs for the Of himself and his
family. He receives at the desk of his employer
his wages, and perhaps before he reaches his
home is oblg ed, in a purchase for family use of
an article which embraces his own labor. to re-
turn in the payment of the increase in price
which the tar fl permits, the hard-earned COM
pensation of many days of toll.
The farmer and the agriculturist. who manu-
failure nothing, bu who pay the Increased
price which the tariff imposes upon every agri-
cultural implement, upon all he wears and upon
all he uses and owns, except the increase OF his
tocks and herds and such things as in his hus-
bandry he produces from the soil, is invited to
aid in maintaining the present situation: and
necessary for the benefit of those who have
sheep to shear, in order that the price of their
wool may be increased. They, of course. are not
reminded that the farmer who has no sheep is by
this scheme obliged, in his purchases of cloth
ing and woolen goods, to pay tribute to his |
fellow farmer well to the manufacturer
and merchant; nor is any mention made of the |
fact. that the sheep-owners themselves and |
their households. must wear clothing nd use |
other articles manufactured from the wool they |
sell at tariff prices, and thus consumers must |
return their share of this increased price to the
think it may be fairly assumed that large /
proportion of the sheep owned by the farmers |
throughout the country are found in small |
hocks numbering from twenty-five to fiji y.
The duty on the grade of imported wool which |
these sheep yield, is ten cents each pound if /
OF the value of thirty cents or less and /
twelve cents if of the value of more than twelve |
cents. If the liberal estimate of six pounds be
allowed for each fleece, the duty thereon would
be sixty or seVenty-two cents; and this may be
taken as the utmost enhancement of it's price /
to the farmer by reason of this duty. Eighteen
dollars would thus represent the increased price
Of the wool from twenty-five sheep. and thirty
six dollars that from the wool of fifty sheep:
and at preSa Mt values this addition would
amount to about one tn I'd of its price If ,1rou
It's sale the farmer receives this or a less tariff
profit. the wool leaves his hands CHARGED with |
precisely that sum- which in all its changes
n until
he consumer. W hen manufactured into I
10th and other goods, and material for its use
1 acht f.s,lr- i.,r.t.o go